Tottenham star Richarlison opens up on how close he came to joining Chelsea or Arsenal

Richarlison has revealed that Tottenham were not the only side to bid for him over the summer.

Posted Sunday, September 25, 2022 by Express.co.uk

Brazilian star Richarlison has spoken about how much interest there was in securing his signature prior to joining Tottenham Hotspur over the summer. The forward headed to the north London outfit from Everton in a deal worth £60million.

Richarlison was one of the Toffees’ saving graces last season and played a vital role in steering the side clear of safety. He scored 10 goals and assisted five in 30 appearances at Goodison Park, which caught the eye massively as a result of reports that the striker was growing restless in Merseyside.

Given Spurs’ lack of depth in the final third, they opted to sign the 25-year-old. But Richarlison has told Goal that Antonio Conte’s side were not the only club interested, as he explained: “I know Chelsea made an offer, and I believe Arsenal also contacted Everton to ask about my situation, but Spurs came in and paid the fee, you know?

"It’s as simple as that. Everton had to sell some players to avoid a Financial Fair Play problem, and the negotiations were very brief, to be honest. I was on holiday in Brazil when I heard that Tottenham had made Everton an offer.

Chelsea submitted a bid for Richarlison

“I was happy because they are a huge team. Then it was all about the clubs negotiating a deal, and fortunately, everything went well. Antonio Conte called me during the negotiations and expressed how much he’d like to have me on board – that was vital for my decision."

Richarlison has hit the ground running at Tottenham, quickly becoming a fan’s favourite for how he plays with his heart on his sleeve and his desire to leave everything on the pitch. The Brazil international has scored two goals in the Champions League and also registered two league assists.

The former Watford star has provided Conte with a true headache when it comes to team selection, and Son Heung-min’s hat-trick against Leicester City most recently has also thrown a spanner in the works given that he has been fairly anonymous this season up until that point. Harry Kane is also yet to hit the heights that many know he can, though his role in the overall team cannot be understated, whilst Dejan Kulusevski is continuing to thrive on the right.

Spurs are currently third in the Premier League, winning five of their opening seven matches and drawing twice. Conte is reaping the benefits of his summer spending spree, courtesy of Richarlison and Ivan Perisic, and many feel that they will only improve further – and potentially mount a title charge – when Yves Bissouma and Djed Spence break into the side.